This simple Waffle Bowl recipe creates crispy, golden vessels perfect for ice cream, fruit, or any sweet filling your heart desires. Ready in minutes with basic pantry ingredients, it’s the perfect addition to a sundae party!
WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?
Enter your email below and we’ll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you’ll get great new recipes from us every week!
Dessert in an edible container? Yes, please! Especially when it’s warm, crispy, and homemade. These waffle bowls bring a touch of ice cream parlor charm right to your kitchen table!
Family dinners and gatherings with friends are never so fun as those with homemade ice cream in crisp, delicious ice cream waffle bowls.
This foolproof waffle bowl recipe turns simple ingredients into crispy, golden dessert vessels. Just 30 minutes and basic pantry staples are all that’s needed for an impressive homemade treat that’s perfect for ice cream sundaes, fruit parfaits, and more!
Jump to:
Why You’ll Love This Waffle Bowl Recipe
- Incredibly Versatile: These waffle bowls aren’t just for ice cream! Use them for yogurt parfaits, fruit salads, pudding, or even savory applications like taco salads or breakfast scrambles.
- Budget-Friendly Alternative: Store-bought waffle bowls can be surprisingly expensive, especially for a family. Making them at home costs just pennies per bowl with ingredients you likely already have in your pantry.
- Customizable to Your Taste: Easily adapt the flavor profile by adding cinnamon, cocoa powder, or citrus zest to the batter. You can even sprinkle with sugar or drizzle with chocolate after forming for an extra special touch.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: Prepare a batch on the weekend and store in an airtight container for up to a week. Having these on hand makes weeknight desserts or unexpected guests a breeze to accommodate.
🍨 Homemade ice cream desserts are often requested on special days in our family, but I sometimes surprise them on just a regular day, too!
Equipment Needed
Making The Waffle Bowls
This recipe is easiest with a special waffle cone & bowl maker. It’s basically a waffle iron that has shallower grooves so it creates a very thin and crispy waffle that can then be shaped as a bowl or a cone.
The images in this recipe show waffle cones and bowls made with the special waffle iron.
These can also be made on a cookie sheet in the oven, though they will not have the waffle weave etching on them. See the directions below in the “how to make” instructions.
I actually think this can be made in a regular waffle maker by using less batter and spreading it out across the iron so it’s thin. The timing will be much less than the waffle iron’s default settings, so if you do try this be sure to watch closely and take it off when it’s just browned like in the pictures below!
Shaping The Waffle Bowls
No matter how you make the waffle bowl, you will need something to drape it over to let it cool into the waffle bowl shape. You can use any metal or glass bowl or container that will give you the desired bowl size — a small bowl for smaller waffle bowls and a large bowl for larger ones.
Here are a couple of options that closely match what I used in the bowls show in the post images. (I just used the ice cream bowls I was gifted since those would be used to hold some toppings we were having!)
For homemade waffle cones, you can either use a cone roller or find something cone-like shaped or spherical to wrap the waffle dough around while it cools. Be sure to get the bottom point of the cone well sealed for minimal leaks!
Recipe Ingredients
- Eggs — Large eggs are just right.
- Salt — I usually use kosher salt when baking.
- Granulated sugar
- All-purpose flour
- Butter
- Vanilla extract
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How To Make Waffle Bowls
The Right Batter Consistency
It’s important to get the batter just right because if the batter is too thick, the bowls won’t be crispy. If the batter is too thin, the bowls will break when you try to shape them. To fix either problem, you will need to add more liquid or more dry ingredients.
- Too thick: Add another tablespoon of melted butter.
- Too thin: Add a little bit more flour.
It should be the consistency of a thick muffin batter. After you cook the first one, you’ll know if the batter is just right.
Make With Waffle Cone Maker
Step 1: Preheat the waffle bowl/cone maker.
Step 2: In a mixing bowl, mix together egg, egg white and salt on low speed just until well blended. Beat in the sugar on medium speed until the egg has lightened in color, about 1 minute. Add the flour and mix on low speed until blended and smooth, about 30 seconds. Add the melted butter and vanilla and mix on low speed just until blended, about 20 seconds.
Step 3: Pour 3 tablespoons batter (or a #24 scoop) in the center of the iron. Close the lid and cook for 1 minute before lifting the lid to check for doneness. Continue cooking until the desired color is reached.
Step 4: Quickly remove the waffle from the iron onto a clean cloth towel. Use the towel to help lift and roll the waffle around the cone or bowl form. Hold the cone a few seconds to set the shape then place on a wire rock to cool.
Alternative Option: Make In The Oven
Line a baking sheet with parchment. Draw two 8-inch circles on the paper. Spread 3 tablespoons of batter over each circle. Bake at 400° for 4-5 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Remove the cookies from the oven and shape over bowls.
Recipe FAQs
While a waffle cone maker yields the best results, you can experiment with a flat waffle iron or even a non-stick pan. The key is to work quickly while the waffle is hot and pliable to form it around your bowl mold. See the instructions above for making the waffle cookies in the oven!
When stored in an airtight container at room temperature, these waffle bowls will stay crisp for 5-7 days. If they soften slightly, a quick 2-minute warm-up in a 300°F oven will restore their crispness.
Temperature and timing are crucial – if your waffle cools too much before shaping, it becomes brittle. Work quickly and make sure your waffle is still very warm when forming around your mold.
Expert Tips
- Best Toppings: I bought some vanilla bean ice cream and salted caramel and hot fudge toppings because the store bought ones are good. But I made the strawberry topping because you just can’t get the fresh strawberry taste with a jarred strawberry topping.
- Achieve Perfect Texture: The egg-to-flour ratio in this recipe creates the ideal balance between crispness and flexibility. Don’t be tempted to reduce the eggs, as they’re crucial for the structure needed to hold the bowl shape.
- Master the Timing: Remove your waffle when it’s golden brown but not too dark. If it’s too light, the bowl may be too soft; if too dark, it may taste bitter and be too brittle to shape properly.
- Create a Workspace: Before you start cooking, set up your shaping station with your bowl forms, clean kitchen towels, and cooling rack. Once the waffles come off the iron, you’ll need to work quickly!
More Yummy Ice Cream Recipes to Consider
Did you try this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ rating below and share it on Instagram.
WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?
Enter your email below and we will send it straight to your inbox. Plus you will get great new recipes from us every week!
Ice Cream Waffle Bowls and Cones
Ingredients
- 2 whole eggs
- 2 egg whites
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons butter melted and cooled slightly
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your waffle cone maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
- In a mixing bowl, mix together egg, egg white and salt on low speed just until well blended. Beat in the sugar on medium speed until the egg has lightened in color, about 1 minute. Add the flour and mix on low speed until blended and smooth, about 30 seconds. Add the melted butter and vanilla and mix on low speed just until blended, about 20 seconds.
- Pour 3 tablespoons batter (I used a #28 scoop) in the center of the iron. Close the lid and cook for 1 minute before lifting the lid to check for doneness. Continue cooking until the desired color is reached.
- Quickly remove the waffle from the iron onto a clean cloth towel. Use the towel to help lift and roll the waffle around the cone or bowl form. Hold the cone a few seconds to set the shape then place on a wire rock to cool.
Notes
- Before adding goodies to the waffle bowls (or cones), consider brushing the inside of your cooled waffle bowls with melted chocolate and allowing it to set. This creates a delicious barrier that prevents ice cream from softening your crunchy bowl too quickly.
- Using exactly 3 tablespoons of batter ensures consistent thickness. Too thin and your bowl will be fragile; too thick and it won’t shape properly around your mold. A cookie scoop makes this process foolproof.
- Temperature and timing are crucial – if your waffle cools too much before shaping, it becomes brittle. Work quickly and make sure your waffle is still very warm when forming around your mold.
- Easily adapt the flavor profile by adding cinnamon, cocoa powder, or citrus zest to the batter. You can even sprinkle with sugar or drizzle with chocolate after forming for an extra special touch.
Joanne
Hi, these look delicious how would you make them in the oven please?
Barbara Schieving
Hi Joanne – no, you need the waffle iron to make them thin and crispy.
Dana McGowen
How far in advance did you make the batter? How long will the cooked bowls stay crisp? We are having an ice cream social in a few days and I would like to make these ahead.
Barbara Schieving
Hi Dana – they’ll be crisper the closer to the day you’re serving them, but I often make them a day ahead. Have fun!
Bumblebeesmom
Hi Barbara,
I have the Presto Waffle Bowl Maker. Will this recipe work in this?
Barbara Schieving
I don’t think so. It looks like that makes a thick waffle and this makes a thin crispy waffle. I think this would be a better choice https://www.barbarabakes.com/light-and-fluffy-whole-wheat-waffles/
Bumblebeesmom
Thank you for the response. I’m looking for a sweet, crispy dessert waffle bowl. I’ll keep trying though.
Z
I think she may have put the wrong link, I use a mini waffle bowl maker from Walmart and add extra butter and a sprinkling of baking powder and they come out almost exactly what we are looking for. still trying to get the perfect crispiness with the thicker bowl. please update if you have found a perfect recipie.